Governor Honors Missouri’s Military Families
Gov. Matt Blunt this week signed a proclamation recognizing November as Military Family Month in honor of America’s Hidden Heroes. “As we prepare to celebrate Veterans Day and honor the sacrifices of our veterans and men and women currently serving in uniform, it is also important to recognize their family members who have stood by and supported our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines,” the governor said. “The families of our armed forces are America’s Hidden Heroes whose support and encouragement provides the strength and support that help their family members defend our freedom and security.” There are nearly 2.7 million active and reserve men and women currently serving in our nation’s armed forces. America’s Hidden Heroes serve our country through their sacrifice and support during their deployments. Governor Blunt is a committed advocate for veterans and their families. To help the families of those who currently are serving, the governor supported legislation enacted in 2005 to establish the Missouri Military Family Relief Fund. The fund provides grants to families of servicemen and women who are members of Missouri’s National Guard or Missouri residents who are members of the Reserve and have been called to active duty. Following what he called an appalling protest at the funeral of Specialist Edward Lee Myers, the governor sent a strong message that Missouri not only supports our military members at home and abroad, but that the sacrifices they make are valued, respected and important to the grateful people they serve. “The Edward Lee Myers Act” protects Missouri families’ right to honor their loved ones and makes it clear Missouri will not tolerate protests that disrupt those who are mourning the loss of a military hero. The budget the governor signed this year increased money for Missouri’s veterans’ homes by $8.7 million. Earlier this year the governor signed legislation that established the Stolen Valor Act to put in law fit punishment for those who impersonate military heroes and that increases grants to fund Veterans Service Officers. Governor Blunt also signed legislation to enact additional protections for War on Terror veterans to ensure that their jobs, wages and benefits were kept for them during the time they were called to serve our country. The legislation established a state fund to benefit War on Terror veterans who apply for unemployment assistance related to their service and, to help fund that program, established state penalties for employers who violated the law. The governor also signed legislation creating a program to honor and recognize Missourians who served our country during Vietnam. The Vietnam War Medallion Program honors and provides a greater awareness of the sacrifices of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War era. Governor Blunt graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served more than 5 years active duty. He has witnessed firsthand the dedication and commitment that Missouri troops make everyday to protect and defend our freedom with visits to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Mexican Border. The governor is currently serving as a lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserves.
Tough New Directives to Curb Illegal Immigration
Following is an article by Governor Blunt about his ongoing efforts to combat illegal immigration in Missouri:
We cannot stand by as Washington fails to adequately address the issue of illegal immigration. That is why it is necessary for our state to take appropriate steps to fight this problem in Missouri.
This summer I took significant action to fight illegal immigration. This action included directing all state law enforcement agencies to take the steps necessary to verify the immigration status of anyone presented for incarceration. We are also working with ICE for authority under Section 287g of the Immigration and Nationality Act that would deputize state law enforcement officers to help enforce federal laws and protect Missourians against illegal immigration.
I am also working to protect Missouri taxpayers' money from supporting building projects that employ illegal workers. My directives include conducting random on-site inspections of all projects accompanied by the tax credit recipient to monitor and retrieve documentation regarding the legal status of all workers on the job. The inspections will include direct employees of the tax credit recipient, contracted or subcontracted agents and both general contractors and their subcontractors.
Additionally I have outlined principles for the Missouri Housing Development Commission to consider regarding illegal immigration that include possible sanctions of up to a lifetime ban of contractors and developers who knowingly employ illegal immigrants in violation of federal law.
Earlier this year we took action against illegal immigration when a vigilant state employee discovered that a state contractor hired to clean state office buildings was employing illegal immigrants. An extensive investigation coordinated with federal officials into Sam's Janitorial Services resulted in the arrest of 22 suspected illegal immigrants, all part of Sam's 60-person workforce. Of the 22 arrested and detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), seven were immediately deported, 11 were charged and the status of the remaining four is pending the conclusion of an investigation.
After the incident I immediately terminated Sam's Janitorial Services contract and signed an executive order enacting the first ever statewide ban on contractors who knowingly hire illegal workers. This executive order ensures that taxpayer dollars are not being used to support illegal activity.
The fight against illegal immigration is important to Missouri as a whole as well as to Missouri families. To protect public safety and our families, we simply cannot tolerate illegal activity. I will not just stand by while Washington fails to address this problem. Missourians deserve responsive government that will vigorously enforce our laws.
GOP Policies Bolster Missouri’s Strong Bond Rating
Governor Blunt announced this week that Missouri is one of six states that received the highest bond rating by all three rating agencies, Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poors and Moody’s Investor Service. “Coming into office, I made it a priority to turn around Missouri’s sagging economy and implement critical pro-jobs, pro-growth policies that provide opportunities for future economic growth,” Governor Blunt said. “Since January 2005 we turned a $1.1 billion deficit into consecutive surpluses without a tax increase, enacted pro-jobs, pro-growth initiatives that have helped Missourians create nearly 97,000 jobs and cut taxes for Missourians by cutting the tax on Social Security benefits and providing tax relief by allowing Missourians to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums. Missouri’s bond rating is a strong indicator to businesses that we are serious about maintaining and growing our state’s economy.” Fitch Ratings recently assigned Missouri a AAA bond rating, which means bonds issued by Missouri are judged to be of the highest quality by investors. These bonds also carry the smallest degree of investment risk. Fitch noted that Missouri has a cautious approach to debt management. According to Fitch Ratings, “The state’s AAAGO bond rating reflects superior bondholder security derived from Missouri’s conservative approach to debt, both in amounts owed and in provision for repayment, as well as from its long record of well-managed and balanced financial operations.” Standard & Poors and Moody’s Investor Service previously announced Missouri’s AAA rating. The six states rated AAA by all three rating agencies are: Missouri, Utah, Delaware, Maryland, Georgia and Virginia.
Feds OK Governor’s Request for Farm Aid
The U.S. Agriculture Department Acting Secretary Chuck Connor has approved Governor Blunt’s request to declare 22 Missouri counties as natural disaster areas for agricultural loss due to drought related damages. Eight additional counties were named as contiguous disaster counties and also will be eligible for disaster designation. “Missouri farmers have faced production losses that have had a severe impact on their crop production and harvest,” the Governor said. “We took action by requesting this assistance, and I commend Acting Secretary Connor for quickly approving this disaster declaration which will allow Missouri farm families to receive this assistance.” Counties approved for declaration of natural disaster areas are: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard, Washington and Wayne. The contiguous counties include Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Franklin, Ozark, Shannon, St. Louis and Texas. The disaster declaration in both primary and contiguous counties makes farm operators eligible for low-interest loans from Missouri Farm Service Agencies (FSA) if eligibility requirements are met. Local FSA offices will be able to provide Missouri farmers with additional information on the low-interest loans. Livestock producers suffering from diminishing forage are encouraged to visit the Missouri Hay Directory at www.mda.mo.gov or call the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s hay hotline at (800) 877-4429.
Keeping Track of Nixon’s Taxing Ways Now Available
Jay Nixon's plan to increase taxes on hard-working Missouri families was exposed with the launch of a new Internet tool at www.MattBlunt.com that calculates the Nixon tax increase. Instead of finding innovative solutions to address issues like health care, Jay Nixon consistently gives the typical liberal answer: increase taxes on hard-working Missourians to pay for big government spending. One example of Jay Nixon's desire for higher taxes is his call for Missouri taxpayers to foot the bill for the state's old, broken health care system that was filled with waste and abuse. To pay for this outdated government program, Jay Nixon would force Missouri taxpayers to fork over more than $728 million in higher taxes. Missourians for Matt Blunt has launched "The Jay Nixon Tax Increase" counter to show Missouri taxpayers by just how much Nixon wants to raise their taxes. The counter can be viewed at www.MattBlunt.com and will be kept updated to reflect any future calls by Nixon for higher taxes. Jay Nixon is not being honest with Missourians about his plan to raise taxes on Missourians to support failing government programs. Missourians are entitled to an explanation from Nixon about how he will pay for it. The truth is Nixon is supporting a huge tax increase that amounts to an additional tax burden of more than $125 for every man, woman, and child in Missouri. Jay Nixon's long history of opposing tax cuts and clamoring for higher taxes on anything from movie rentals to the income tax clearly demonstrates that Nixon does not understand that higher taxes and bigger government are not what our state needs to create jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for Missouri families. A source for "The Jay Nixon Tax Increase" is Nixon's own political campaign website, which shows the federal match for the tax increase he is proposing.
Nixon's Monster Email Gap Remains Unquestioned
After two patient months, the Missouri Republican Party demands that Jay Nixon explain why he claims he had no e-mails of public record with his chief of staff for three years. In responding to a Sunshine Law request for his chief of staff’s emails, Nixon invoked attorney client privilege and then released correspondence that laughably contains not one single correspondence between Nixon and the No. 2 man in his office for three years. The Missouri Republican Party statewide press release on September 26 showed that Nixon had turned over just 200 pages of emails sent by chief of staff John Watson in which weeks and months pass without a single note to Nixon on anyone else on Nixon’s staff. Coincidentally, Nixon’s response to the MRP request was sent unsolicited to various media outlets who felt the issue of Nixon email gaps and attorney-client privilege were not significant enough to warrant coverage. And how serious are the gaps? The emails provided by Nixon show that Watson sent only 19 emails in all of 2004 with only four emails from January through April and none in May, July and August; 27 emails in all of 2005 with only one each in May and August; only 34 emails in 2006 with none written in April; and 215 emails through September 17 of this year? The Nixon documents are available at: http://www.mogop.org/media/agemails.pdf It seems incredible in today’s environment that two months have passed without a single answer from Jay Nixon about his use of attorney-client privilege to avoid answering questions about significant gaps in his chief of staff’s email records and the ludicrous claim that his No. 2 man did not correspond with his boss for three years. The lack of investigation into this situation shows that there is one Sunshine Law standard for Jay Nixon and another for the rest of us. “It is simply unfathomable that no one is questioning Nixon, whose spokesman Scott Holste admitted to The Associated Press on September 24 that he deletes many of the emails he receives. What emails have been deleted by Nixon’s staff and how does that jive with Nixon’s claims about an email retention policy?” Along with the email gaps regarding staff, Nixon has yet to be held accountable for failing to produce or being asked to produce emails and other documents regarding his state office’s involvement in accepting Ameren political contributions while investigating the utility. Nixon also has not produced or been asked to produce detailed records regarding his illegal his use of state resources for political purposes. There are a lot of records out there that Jay Nixon doesn’t want exposed and his lackluster record on the release of emails and other records has not once been questioned. All Missourians want to know is why? All Missourians want are answers. All Missourians need is someone to ask these questions.
Smith, Aull in Court for Illegally Entering Boonville Casino
The revolving door of law-breaking Democrats heading to court continued this week in Cooper County when Sen. Jeff Smith and Rep. Joe Aull appear in court facing up to a year in jail for using false identification to enter a gambling boat. Nothing was settled during the appearance, although both seem determined to continue to fight the charges. The Democrats were charged after Aull illegally handed over his casino identification to Smith, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, during a lobbyist-sponsored junket in July to the Isle of Capri casino in Boonville. The Associated Press has reported that Missouri State Highway Patrol surveillance tapes show that Aull gave his gambling card to the lobbyist, who then hung it around Smith's neck. Smith then showed the card as if it was his own and was allowed to enter the gambling floor. Despite the charges, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate have refused to condemn the lawmakers for the incident, just like they have refused to condemn Sen. Chuck Graham for charges relating to his drunken driving arrest and Rep. John Bowman for his federal fraud charges. The Smith and Aull court appearances are another disturbing chapter in the lives of Democrat elected officials who increasingly find themselves on the wrong side of the state laws they are sworn to protect and uphold. The behavior of Smith and Aull is unacceptable, and we are confident that our system of justice will treat them as they would any other Missourian who has broken the law.
Post-Dispatch to Nixon: Are You Returning Money or Not?
You know Silent Jay Nixon is in trouble when the Democrat-leaning St. Louis Post-Dispatch questions Nixon’s promise to return unlimited campaign contributions that he vigorously opposed in court. In an editorial this week on Mayor Francis Slay’s return of over-the-limit contributions, the newspaper correctly noted that: “Mr. Nixon said in mid-September that he would return the excess donations, but unlike Mr. Slay, he hasn't done so yet.” Missourians will remember that Nixon first said he was going to return unlimited contributions, then said he would give the money back only if Gov. Matt Blunt gave it back. Then, later, Nixon again said he was “prepared” to give the money back even though, as the Post-Dispatch notes, he hasn’t. Missourians also will remember that after tanking the defense of the law allowing the contributions, Nixon abandoned his duty as the state’s attorney and opposed them before the state Supreme Court. Nixon’s decision to oppose the law to his own benefit also found him siding with the plaintiffs represented by his longtime political guru and former staffer Chuck Hatfield. Nixon has failed to keep his word to Missourians by not returning the very same contributions he vigorously opposed, and it’s refreshing to see that some in the media have not forgotten. Nixon’s acceptance of these contributions was an act of hypocrisy that has been magnified tenfold by his failure to return them. If Jay Nixon had concerns about accepting these contributions, he should have never taken them in the first place.
Copying Clinton and Nixon, Democrats Push Tax Increase
Revealing yet again their eagerness to impose job-killing tax hikes on working families, House Democrats are falling in line behind the liberal leadership of Jay Nixon and Hillary Clinton by pushing a plan for more than $200 million in immediate new spending on the proven failure of Medicaid-style government health care. The newest tax-and-spend plan from Democrats is based on the old-time liberal thinking of Nixon and Clinton, who are in position to head the party's 2008 ticket in Missouri, as tax-and-spend twins. The House plan calls for a $218.5 million tax increase to return to an old Medicaid-type system, the failed system that Democrats used to run state finances into the ground. The Democrat plan would be a down payment on the full Nixon/Clinton program for government-controlled health care. Nixon seeks a $1 billion hike in job-killing taxes for this promise while Clinton is pushing a $440 billion tax increase over four years for the federal version of government-control of health care. In fixing the state budget ruined by past Democrat tax-and-spend liberalism, Gov. Matt Blunt has balanced the budget, increased spending for education by more than half a billion dollars and reduced taxes, all while creating MO HealthNet to improve service for low-income Missourians and setting a sound foundation for Insure Missouri to provide health care coverage to 200,000 uninsured Missourians. Nixon and every Missouri Democrat who is marching to the Nixon-Clinton drummer must explain to Missourians why they want a huge job-killing tax hike to begin turning back the clock to their own broken health care system, which was bankrupting Missouri. We are confident the people will vote strongly for the innovative, fiscally sound, and genuinely caring reforms made and proposed by Governor Blunt and the Republican-led Legislature. This tax hike fever that has gripped Clinton, Nixon, and, now, the liberal Democrat leaders in the Legislature is a very clear picture of the choices that will be made in 2008. We look forward to this debate, and we challenge Nixon and his followers to start explaining why Missourians aren't paying high enough taxes and their case for the Clinton-Nixon policies of turning back the clock to constant Democrat whining for more taxes to feed a system that doesn't work.
Barnes Needs to Come Clean on Troop Funding
As Congress prepares to vote on a spending bill to provide supplemental funding for American troops, Missourians deserve to know whether Kay Barnes would vote in favor of providing more money for our men and women in combat. In May, Barnes told the Columbia Missourian that “We need to make sure that they have the adequate materials and supplies,” and also told the St. Joseph News-Press that “I will never vote to send our men and women into combat without the proper equipment.” Now that the time of reckoning is here on supplemental funding for the military, Missourians are wondering if Barnes means what she says when it comes to supporting our troops. Barnes says she supports the troops, but now is the time for her to prove it. She should publicly state her support for this bill and condemn the liberal members of her party that are standing in the way of giving our troops everything they need to complete their mission.
Even Harvard Says Media Biased Against Republicans
The following article from the November 1 edition of Investor’s Business Daily puts into perspective the kind of bias Republicans face with the media. We would venture to guess that the numbers for Missouri would be far worse than even the national bias: “Journalism: The debate is over. A consensus has been reached. On global warming? No, on how Democrats are favored on television, radio and in the newspapers. Just like so many reports before it, a joint survey by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and Harvard's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy — hardly a bastion of conservative orthodoxy — found that in covering the current presidential race, the media are sympathetic to Democrats and hostile to Republicans.” To read the article, go to: http://www.ibdeditorials.com.
The KC Star’s Disturbing Attempt to Revise History
The Kansas City Star in a November 4 editorial engaged in a sad attempt at revisionist history stemming from its obsession with disparaging Governor Blunt. The fact of the matter is that no time in the last 70 years – including during the administrations of Democrat Mel Carnahan and Bob Holden --was there a call by The Star for reimbursement of the security costs for the governor. The issue became important for The Star only after Jay Nixon was caught illegally using a state vehicle for political purposes and Democrats tried to defend their party leader. The Star’s pontification on this issue stemmed solely from its willingness to embrace Democrat Party talking points rather than dismissing such attacks as hypocritical. By giving credence to this lunacy, The Star was complicit in its defense of Jay Nixon’s illegal activities. To read the editorial, go to http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/346624.html. If you want to share your views with The Star, email them at letters@kcstar.com.
MissouriPulse.com Post of the Week
Nixon Shills For Liberal Special Interest Supporters
In an unexpected display of candor, Attorney General Jay Nixon informed Teamsters yesterday that he opposed Governor Matt Blunt’s decision to overturn Bob Holden’s controversial order that opened the door for state employee collective bargaining, and he took issue with tort reforms passed into law in 2005.
Nixon’s opposition to tort reform is not unexpected considering his longstanding support from trial lawyers and his ongoing membership with the American Trial Lawyers Association, which is arguably the most powerful anti-business lobby in the country. According to ATLA’s directory, Nixon lists his contact info as the Attorney General’s office and even lists a state e-mail address for contact purposes. That seems only fitting when considering the tens of millions of dollars his office has given away to trial lawyers over the years and his generally negative view of Missouri’s business community.
Yesterday’s speech marked the first time Nixon has publicly stated his support for Holden’s controversial state employee collective bargaining order. For years, pro-union Democratic legislatures weren’t even able to muster the votes to pass bargaining legislation as a result of public opposition to tax dollars filling the coffers of top Democratic donors. In 2001, Holden bypassed the legislature and enacted a bargaining order at the behest of his union supporters. During the 2004 gubernatorial campaign, the two primary union benefactors of Holden’s order—AFSCME and the SEIU—poured over $2 million into the MDP’s coffers, but Blunt prevailed and in 2005 he followed through on a campaign pledge to rescind the order.
Now, Nixon is sounding an awful lot like a candidate interested in closing a substantial fundraising gap by pledging to reinstate Holden’s order. In May, AFSCME donated $100,000 to his campaign committee, and in August the union ponied up $100,000 more for the MDP. With Nixon on board, look for AFSCME and other public sector unions to open the floodgates even more in the coming months.
The Cornerstone - Getting the Word Out About ‘Disgraced Democrats’
The ever-growing list of Democrat lawmakers and officials who have been caught breaking the law in the last several months has been often ignored by the liberal media, but not by Missouri Republicans. That is why we encourage Republicans at all levels to check out a new feature on our website called Disgraced Democrats that highlights the legal troubles of the lowlights of Democrat politics, including Jay Nixon, Chuck Graham and John Bowman. The feature is printer-ready in both color and black and white for easy distribution for those Missourians who have been left in the dark by the liberal media about the numerous instances of Democrat malfeasance. To get your copy, visit www.mogop.org and click on the Disgraced Democrats button on the right side of the MRP’s home page and start getting the word out.
Gov. Matt Blunt this week signed a proclamation recognizing November as Military Family Month in honor of America’s Hidden Heroes. “As we prepare to celebrate Veterans Day and honor the sacrifices of our veterans and men and women currently serving in uniform, it is also important to recognize their family members who have stood by and supported our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines,” the governor said. “The families of our armed forces are America’s Hidden Heroes whose support and encouragement provides the strength and support that help their family members defend our freedom and security.” There are nearly 2.7 million active and reserve men and women currently serving in our nation’s armed forces. America’s Hidden Heroes serve our country through their sacrifice and support during their deployments. Governor Blunt is a committed advocate for veterans and their families. To help the families of those who currently are serving, the governor supported legislation enacted in 2005 to establish the Missouri Military Family Relief Fund. The fund provides grants to families of servicemen and women who are members of Missouri’s National Guard or Missouri residents who are members of the Reserve and have been called to active duty. Following what he called an appalling protest at the funeral of Specialist Edward Lee Myers, the governor sent a strong message that Missouri not only supports our military members at home and abroad, but that the sacrifices they make are valued, respected and important to the grateful people they serve. “The Edward Lee Myers Act” protects Missouri families’ right to honor their loved ones and makes it clear Missouri will not tolerate protests that disrupt those who are mourning the loss of a military hero. The budget the governor signed this year increased money for Missouri’s veterans’ homes by $8.7 million. Earlier this year the governor signed legislation that established the Stolen Valor Act to put in law fit punishment for those who impersonate military heroes and that increases grants to fund Veterans Service Officers. Governor Blunt also signed legislation to enact additional protections for War on Terror veterans to ensure that their jobs, wages and benefits were kept for them during the time they were called to serve our country. The legislation established a state fund to benefit War on Terror veterans who apply for unemployment assistance related to their service and, to help fund that program, established state penalties for employers who violated the law. The governor also signed legislation creating a program to honor and recognize Missourians who served our country during Vietnam. The Vietnam War Medallion Program honors and provides a greater awareness of the sacrifices of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War era. Governor Blunt graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served more than 5 years active duty. He has witnessed firsthand the dedication and commitment that Missouri troops make everyday to protect and defend our freedom with visits to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Mexican Border. The governor is currently serving as a lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserves. Following is an article by Governor Blunt about his ongoing efforts to combat illegal immigration in Missouri:We cannot stand by as Washington fails to adequately address the issue of illegal immigration. That is why it is necessary for our state to take appropriate steps to fight this problem in Missouri.
This summer I took significant action to fight illegal immigration. This action included directing all state law enforcement agencies to take the steps necessary to verify the immigration status of anyone presented for incarceration. We are also working with ICE for authority under Section 287g of the Immigration and Nationality Act that would deputize state law enforcement officers to help enforce federal laws and protect Missourians against illegal immigration.
I am also working to protect Missouri taxpayers' money from supporting building projects that employ illegal workers. My directives include conducting random on-site inspections of all projects accompanied by the tax credit recipient to monitor and retrieve documentation regarding the legal status of all workers on the job. The inspections will include direct employees of the tax credit recipient, contracted or subcontracted agents and both general contractors and their subcontractors.
Additionally I have outlined principles for the Missouri Housing Development Commission to consider regarding illegal immigration that include possible sanctions of up to a lifetime ban of contractors and developers who knowingly employ illegal immigrants in violation of federal law.
Earlier this year we took action against illegal immigration when a vigilant state employee discovered that a state contractor hired to clean state office buildings was employing illegal immigrants. An extensive investigation coordinated with federal officials into Sam's Janitorial Services resulted in the arrest of 22 suspected illegal immigrants, all part of Sam's 60-person workforce. Of the 22 arrested and detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), seven were immediately deported, 11 were charged and the status of the remaining four is pending the conclusion of an investigation.
After the incident I immediately terminated Sam's Janitorial Services contract and signed an executive order enacting the first ever statewide ban on contractors who knowingly hire illegal workers. This executive order ensures that taxpayer dollars are not being used to support illegal activity.
The fight against illegal immigration is important to Missouri as a whole as well as to Missouri families. To protect public safety and our families, we simply cannot tolerate illegal activity. I will not just stand by while Washington fails to address this problem. Missourians deserve responsive government that will vigorously enforce our laws.
Governor Blunt announced this week that Missouri is one of six states that received the highest bond rating by all three rating agencies, Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poors and Moody’s Investor Service. “Coming into office, I made it a priority to turn around Missouri’s sagging economy and implement critical pro-jobs, pro-growth policies that provide opportunities for future economic growth,” Governor Blunt said. “Since January 2005 we turned a $1.1 billion deficit into consecutive surpluses without a tax increase, enacted pro-jobs, pro-growth initiatives that have helped Missourians create nearly 97,000 jobs and cut taxes for Missourians by cutting the tax on Social Security benefits and providing tax relief by allowing Missourians to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums. Missouri’s bond rating is a strong indicator to businesses that we are serious about maintaining and growing our state’s economy.” Fitch Ratings recently assigned Missouri a AAA bond rating, which means bonds issued by Missouri are judged to be of the highest quality by investors. These bonds also carry the smallest degree of investment risk. Fitch noted that Missouri has a cautious approach to debt management. According to Fitch Ratings, “The state’s AAAGO bond rating reflects superior bondholder security derived from Missouri’s conservative approach to debt, both in amounts owed and in provision for repayment, as well as from its long record of well-managed and balanced financial operations.” Standard & Poors and Moody’s Investor Service previously announced Missouri’s AAA rating. The six states rated AAA by all three rating agencies are: Missouri, Utah, Delaware, Maryland, Georgia and Virginia.The U.S. Agriculture Department Acting Secretary Chuck Connor has approved Governor Blunt’s request to declare 22 Missouri counties as natural disaster areas for agricultural loss due to drought related damages. Eight additional counties were named as contiguous disaster counties and also will be eligible for disaster designation. “Missouri farmers have faced production losses that have had a severe impact on their crop production and harvest,” the Governor said. “We took action by requesting this assistance, and I commend Acting Secretary Connor for quickly approving this disaster declaration which will allow Missouri farm families to receive this assistance.” Counties approved for declaration of natural disaster areas are: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard, Washington and Wayne. The contiguous counties include Crawford, Dent, Douglas, Franklin, Ozark, Shannon, St. Louis and Texas. The disaster declaration in both primary and contiguous counties makes farm operators eligible for low-interest loans from Missouri Farm Service Agencies (FSA) if eligibility requirements are met. Local FSA offices will be able to provide Missouri farmers with additional information on the low-interest loans. Livestock producers suffering from diminishing forage are encouraged to visit the Missouri Hay Directory at www.mda.mo.gov or call the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s hay hotline at (800) 877-4429.Jay Nixon's plan to increase taxes on hard-working Missouri families was exposed with the launch of a new Internet tool at www.MattBlunt.com that calculates the Nixon tax increase. Instead of finding innovative solutions to address issues like health care, Jay Nixon consistently gives the typical liberal answer: increase taxes on hard-working Missourians to pay for big government spending. One example of Jay Nixon's desire for higher taxes is his call for Missouri taxpayers to foot the bill for the state's old, broken health care system that was filled with waste and abuse. To pay for this outdated government program, Jay Nixon would force Missouri taxpayers to fork over more than $728 million in higher taxes. Missourians for Matt Blunt has launched "The Jay Nixon Tax Increase" counter to show Missouri taxpayers by just how much Nixon wants to raise their taxes. The counter can be viewed at www.MattBlunt.com and will be kept updated to reflect any future calls by Nixon for higher taxes. Jay Nixon is not being honest with Missourians about his plan to raise taxes on Missourians to support failing government programs. Missourians are entitled to an explanation from Nixon about how he will pay for it. The truth is Nixon is supporting a huge tax increase that amounts to an additional tax burden of more than $125 for every man, woman, and child in Missouri. Jay Nixon's long history of opposing tax cuts and clamoring for higher taxes on anything from movie rentals to the income tax clearly demonstrates that Nixon does not understand that higher taxes and bigger government are not what our state needs to create jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for Missouri families. A source for "The Jay Nixon Tax Increase" is Nixon's own political campaign website, which shows the federal match for the tax increase he is proposing. Nixon's Monster Email Gap Remains Unquestioned
After two patient months, the Missouri Republican Party demands that Jay Nixon explain why he claims he had no e-mails of public record with his chief of staff for three years. In responding to a Sunshine Law request for his chief of staff’s emails, Nixon invoked attorney client privilege and then released correspondence that laughably contains not one single correspondence between Nixon and the No. 2 man in his office for three years. The Missouri Republican Party statewide press release on September 26 showed that Nixon had turned over just 200 pages of emails sent by chief of staff John Watson in which weeks and months pass without a single note to Nixon on anyone else on Nixon’s staff. Coincidentally, Nixon’s response to the MRP request was sent unsolicited to various media outlets who felt the issue of Nixon email gaps and attorney-client privilege were not significant enough to warrant coverage. And how serious are the gaps? The emails provided by Nixon show that Watson sent only 19 emails in all of 2004 with only four emails from January through April and none in May, July and August; 27 emails in all of 2005 with only one each in May and August; only 34 emails in 2006 with none written in April; and 215 emails through September 17 of this year? The Nixon documents are available at: http://www.mogop.org/media/agemails.pdf It seems incredible in today’s environment that two months have passed without a single answer from Jay Nixon about his use of attorney-client privilege to avoid answering questions about significant gaps in his chief of staff’s email records and the ludicrous claim that his No. 2 man did not correspond with his boss for three years. The lack of investigation into this situation shows that there is one Sunshine Law standard for Jay Nixon and another for the rest of us. “It is simply unfathomable that no one is questioning Nixon, whose spokesman Scott Holste admitted to The Associated Press on September 24 that he deletes many of the emails he receives. What emails have been deleted by Nixon’s staff and how does that jive with Nixon’s claims about an email retention policy?” Along with the email gaps regarding staff, Nixon has yet to be held accountable for failing to produce or being asked to produce emails and other documents regarding his state office’s involvement in accepting Ameren political contributions while investigating the utility. Nixon also has not produced or been asked to produce detailed records regarding his illegal his use of state resources for political purposes. There are a lot of records out there that Jay Nixon doesn’t want exposed and his lackluster record on the release of emails and other records has not once been questioned. All Missourians want to know is why? All Missourians want are answers. All Missourians need is someone to ask these questions.
Smith, Aull in Court for Illegally Entering Boonville Casino
The revolving door of law-breaking Democrats heading to court continued this week in Cooper County when Sen. Jeff Smith and Rep. Joe Aull appear in court facing up to a year in jail for using false identification to enter a gambling boat. Nothing was settled during the appearance, although both seem determined to continue to fight the charges. The Democrats were charged after Aull illegally handed over his casino identification to Smith, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, during a lobbyist-sponsored junket in July to the Isle of Capri casino in Boonville. The Associated Press has reported that Missouri State Highway Patrol surveillance tapes show that Aull gave his gambling card to the lobbyist, who then hung it around Smith's neck. Smith then showed the card as if it was his own and was allowed to enter the gambling floor. Despite the charges, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate have refused to condemn the lawmakers for the incident, just like they have refused to condemn Sen. Chuck Graham for charges relating to his drunken driving arrest and Rep. John Bowman for his federal fraud charges. The Smith and Aull court appearances are another disturbing chapter in the lives of Democrat elected officials who increasingly find themselves on the wrong side of the state laws they are sworn to protect and uphold. The behavior of Smith and Aull is unacceptable, and we are confident that our system of justice will treat them as they would any other Missourian who has broken the law.
Post-Dispatch to Nixon: Are You Returning Money or Not?
You know Silent Jay Nixon is in trouble when the Democrat-leaning St. Louis Post-Dispatch questions Nixon’s promise to return unlimited campaign contributions that he vigorously opposed in court. In an editorial this week on Mayor Francis Slay’s return of over-the-limit contributions, the newspaper correctly noted that: “Mr. Nixon said in mid-September that he would return the excess donations, but unlike Mr. Slay, he hasn't done so yet.” Missourians will remember that Nixon first said he was going to return unlimited contributions, then said he would give the money back only if Gov. Matt Blunt gave it back. Then, later, Nixon again said he was “prepared” to give the money back even though, as the Post-Dispatch notes, he hasn’t. Missourians also will remember that after tanking the defense of the law allowing the contributions, Nixon abandoned his duty as the state’s attorney and opposed them before the state Supreme Court. Nixon’s decision to oppose the law to his own benefit also found him siding with the plaintiffs represented by his longtime political guru and former staffer Chuck Hatfield. Nixon has failed to keep his word to Missourians by not returning the very same contributions he vigorously opposed, and it’s refreshing to see that some in the media have not forgotten. Nixon’s acceptance of these contributions was an act of hypocrisy that has been magnified tenfold by his failure to return them. If Jay Nixon had concerns about accepting these contributions, he should have never taken them in the first place.
Copying Clinton and Nixon, Democrats Push Tax Increase
Revealing yet again their eagerness to impose job-killing tax hikes on working families, House Democrats are falling in line behind the liberal leadership of Jay Nixon and Hillary Clinton by pushing a plan for more than $200 million in immediate new spending on the proven failure of Medicaid-style government health care. The newest tax-and-spend plan from Democrats is based on the old-time liberal thinking of Nixon and Clinton, who are in position to head the party's 2008 ticket in Missouri, as tax-and-spend twins. The House plan calls for a $218.5 million tax increase to return to an old Medicaid-type system, the failed system that Democrats used to run state finances into the ground. The Democrat plan would be a down payment on the full Nixon/Clinton program for government-controlled health care. Nixon seeks a $1 billion hike in job-killing taxes for this promise while Clinton is pushing a $440 billion tax increase over four years for the federal version of government-control of health care. In fixing the state budget ruined by past Democrat tax-and-spend liberalism, Gov. Matt Blunt has balanced the budget, increased spending for education by more than half a billion dollars and reduced taxes, all while creating MO HealthNet to improve service for low-income Missourians and setting a sound foundation for Insure Missouri to provide health care coverage to 200,000 uninsured Missourians. Nixon and every Missouri Democrat who is marching to the Nixon-Clinton drummer must explain to Missourians why they want a huge job-killing tax hike to begin turning back the clock to their own broken health care system, which was bankrupting Missouri. We are confident the people will vote strongly for the innovative, fiscally sound, and genuinely caring reforms made and proposed by Governor Blunt and the Republican-led Legislature. This tax hike fever that has gripped Clinton, Nixon, and, now, the liberal Democrat leaders in the Legislature is a very clear picture of the choices that will be made in 2008. We look forward to this debate, and we challenge Nixon and his followers to start explaining why Missourians aren't paying high enough taxes and their case for the Clinton-Nixon policies of turning back the clock to constant Democrat whining for more taxes to feed a system that doesn't work.
Barnes Needs to Come Clean on Troop Funding
As Congress prepares to vote on a spending bill to provide supplemental funding for American troops, Missourians deserve to know whether Kay Barnes would vote in favor of providing more money for our men and women in combat. In May, Barnes told the Columbia Missourian that “We need to make sure that they have the adequate materials and supplies,” and also told the St. Joseph News-Press that “I will never vote to send our men and women into combat without the proper equipment.” Now that the time of reckoning is here on supplemental funding for the military, Missourians are wondering if Barnes means what she says when it comes to supporting our troops. Barnes says she supports the troops, but now is the time for her to prove it. She should publicly state her support for this bill and condemn the liberal members of her party that are standing in the way of giving our troops everything they need to complete their mission.
Even Harvard Says Media Biased Against Republicans
The following article from the November 1 edition of Investor’s Business Daily puts into perspective the kind of bias Republicans face with the media. We would venture to guess that the numbers for Missouri would be far worse than even the national bias: “Journalism: The debate is over. A consensus has been reached. On global warming? No, on how Democrats are favored on television, radio and in the newspapers. Just like so many reports before it, a joint survey by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and Harvard's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy — hardly a bastion of conservative orthodoxy — found that in covering the current presidential race, the media are sympathetic to Democrats and hostile to Republicans.” To read the article, go to: http://www.ibdeditorials.com.
The KC Star’s Disturbing Attempt to Revise History
The Kansas City Star in a November 4 editorial engaged in a sad attempt at revisionist history stemming from its obsession with disparaging Governor Blunt. The fact of the matter is that no time in the last 70 years – including during the administrations of Democrat Mel Carnahan and Bob Holden --was there a call by The Star for reimbursement of the security costs for the governor. The issue became important for The Star only after Jay Nixon was caught illegally using a state vehicle for political purposes and Democrats tried to defend their party leader. The Star’s pontification on this issue stemmed solely from its willingness to embrace Democrat Party talking points rather than dismissing such attacks as hypocritical. By giving credence to this lunacy, The Star was complicit in its defense of Jay Nixon’s illegal activities. To read the editorial, go to http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/346624.html. If you want to share your views with The Star, email them at letters@kcstar.com.
MissouriPulse.com Post of the Week
Nixon Shills For Liberal Special Interest Supporters
In an unexpected display of candor, Attorney General Jay Nixon informed Teamsters yesterday that he opposed Governor Matt Blunt’s decision to overturn Bob Holden’s controversial order that opened the door for state employee collective bargaining, and he took issue with tort reforms passed into law in 2005.
Nixon’s opposition to tort reform is not unexpected considering his longstanding support from trial lawyers and his ongoing membership with the American Trial Lawyers Association, which is arguably the most powerful anti-business lobby in the country. According to ATLA’s directory, Nixon lists his contact info as the Attorney General’s office and even lists a state e-mail address for contact purposes. That seems only fitting when considering the tens of millions of dollars his office has given away to trial lawyers over the years and his generally negative view of Missouri’s business community.
Yesterday’s speech marked the first time Nixon has publicly stated his support for Holden’s controversial state employee collective bargaining order. For years, pro-union Democratic legislatures weren’t even able to muster the votes to pass bargaining legislation as a result of public opposition to tax dollars filling the coffers of top Democratic donors. In 2001, Holden bypassed the legislature and enacted a bargaining order at the behest of his union supporters. During the 2004 gubernatorial campaign, the two primary union benefactors of Holden’s order—AFSCME and the SEIU—poured over $2 million into the MDP’s coffers, but Blunt prevailed and in 2005 he followed through on a campaign pledge to rescind the order.
Now, Nixon is sounding an awful lot like a candidate interested in closing a substantial fundraising gap by pledging to reinstate Holden’s order. In May, AFSCME donated $100,000 to his campaign committee, and in August the union ponied up $100,000 more for the MDP. With Nixon on board, look for AFSCME and other public sector unions to open the floodgates even more in the coming months.
The Cornerstone - Getting the Word Out About ‘Disgraced Democrats’
The ever-growing list of Democrat lawmakers and officials who have been caught breaking the law in the last several months has been often ignored by the liberal media, but not by Missouri Republicans. That is why we encourage Republicans at all levels to check out a new feature on our website called Disgraced Democrats that highlights the legal troubles of the lowlights of Democrat politics, including Jay Nixon, Chuck Graham and John Bowman. The feature is printer-ready in both color and black and white for easy distribution for those Missourians who have been left in the dark by the liberal media about the numerous instances of Democrat malfeasance. To get your copy, visit www.mogop.org and click on the Disgraced Democrats button on the right side of the MRP’s home page and start getting the word out.